NYPD Officer Disciplined For Pointing Gun At ATV Rider

A New York Police Department deputy has been removed from duty after pointing a firearm at an ATV driver.

The officer was caught on video pointing a gun at a man riding an ATV in Bronx Park and yelling at him to pull over, PIX 11 reported. The footage of the incident was reportedly captured on the man's helmet cam.

The ATV driver, who was identified only as Pete, told PIX 11 that he was startled at the sight of a gun being pointed at him.

"I heard a noise. I looked to my right it was a cop car and he was [...] pointing his gun at me," Pete said.

Although the cop ordered Pete to stop where he was, the man said he drove away because he was frightened.

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"I didn't do anything violent to have a gun pointed at me. So I just tried to get away as quick as I can," he said, according to PIX 11.

After the video came to the department's attention, the officer in question was stripped of his gun and badge while an internal investigation took place.

According to NYPD guidelines, firearms should only be drawn when officers have reasonable cause to believe that they will need to use deadly force to protect themselves or others.

Investigators said they believed the officer violated protocol.

"It looks like he has his finger on the trigger, so that is entirely -- in my opinion -- unacceptable," said Kyce Siddiqi, the lawyer assigned to the office of the deputy commissioner to handle allegations against police officers.

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Siddiqi, a former NYPD officer, said that the department's Internal Affairs Bureau as well as the NYPD office of the Inspector General could potentially be involved in the investigation.

No criminal charges have been filed against the ATV driver, according to PIX 11.

This is not the first incident involving a confrontation between a police officer and an ATV driver in the Bronx.

In July 2015, an ATV driver was charged with attempted murder for intentionally crashing his vehicle into an on-duty police officer riding a dirt bike, the NY Daily News reported at the time.

The officer was treated at Jacobi Hospital for injuries to his arms, neck and back.